Plaiting attachment for sewing-machines



2 SheetsSheet 1.

(Model) G.'W. WEISS. PLAITING ATTACHMENTFOR SEWING MACHINES.

Patented Dec. 17, 1889.

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- G. W.v WEISS.

PLAITING ATTACHMENT FOR LSEWING MACHINES. No. 417,692. Patented Dec. 1'7, 1889-.

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UN TED STATES PATENT OFFIC GEORGE W. WEISS, OF BROOKLYN, NEV YORK.

PLAlTl NG ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING-MACHINES,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 417,692, dated December 17, 1889.

Application filed November 19, 1888. Serial No. 291,288. (ModeL) To all whom it mag concern;

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. \VEISS, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Attachments for Sewing- Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My improvement relates more particularly to attachments for plaiting fabric employed in con junction with a sewing-machine.

I will describe an attachment embodying my improvement in detail, and then point out the-novel features in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is aeside elevation showing a portion of a sewing-machine having an attachment embodying my improvement arranged thereon. Fig. 2 is an end View of the same.- Fig. 3'isa plan of the same. Fig. 4 is a plan of certain parts, certain other parts being shown in horizontal section: Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing a modification of certain parts. Fig. 6 is a detail view in vertical section. showing the mode of forming one kind of plaiting. Figs. 7 and 8 are similar views showing the mode of forming other kinds of plaiting.

frame, arranged to extend along the front of the head. The frame proper is arranged at the side of the head. It is provided with two downwardly-projecting portions or arms a a.

On the arm a, is a detent-lever D, fulcrumed, as here shown, upon a screw a The detentlever comprises a sliding section a, secured in any position into which it may be adjusted by a set-screw a passing throughalongitudinal slot in the sliding section and engaging suitably-formed apertures in the arms a a of the frame 0, and is adapted to be slid to and fro therein. The other arm I) of the bar or rod extends downwardly 'to near the bed A. It is shown as extending at a slightlyinward incline.

The folder D is secured in the lower end of the arm I), as shown, by means of a screw b passing through the arm, and an upturned portion on the folder, which enters a slot b in the arm. mately parallel with and close to the bed A.

E designates a plate mounted upon the bed A and longitudinally adjustable thereon. A set-screw e, passing through a slot 6' and engaging a tapped hole in the bed-plate, operates to secure the plate E in any position into which itmay be adjusted. The plate E has its forward end portion, or that portion which is nearer the needle, elevated somewhat above the bed A, and is arranged in such position relatively to the folder D that when the slider-bar D is moved inwardly the folder D will pass freely beneath said raised'end portion of the plate E. If a piece of cloth be placed beneath the folder and above the plate E and the folder be moved inwardly, the cloth will be carried with the folder beneath the plate, so as to form a plait or fold, as shown in either of the Figs. 6, 7, or 8. When the folder has thus been moved inwardly to form a fold or plait in the cloth, it is retained in such position by means of the detent D,

The folder D extends approxithe notch a of which en a es a ro'ection a s o P J on the arm I) of the slider bar or rod D. In the example of my improvement shown such projection consists of a screw operating as a set-screw to retain a downwardly-extending arm a upon the slider bar or rod. A coilspring (1 tends to maintain the detent in engagement with the slider-rod. The detent may be rocked by hand to release the sliderrod. WVhen so rocked, a spring a, extending between the arm a and the portion a, of the IOO frame, causes the slider-rod to move outwardly and the folder D to be consequently moved from beneath the plate E.

F designates a spacer, by which the spaces between the plaits are regulated. In the example of my improvement shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and l, the spacer comprises an approximately straight bar, a portion of which extends over the plate E. That portion which extends over the plate E is knife-edged upon each side. It is also provided with a projection or pointer extending into proximity with a scale upon the plate E and over a longitudinally-extending slot c in the plate E.

E designates a support for the spacer. This support is approximately U-shaped. One of its arms f passes through suitable apertures in the arms a a of the frame C, in which itis rigidly secured, and the other f has mounted upon it the spacer F. It will be seen more clearly, by reference to Fig. 2, that the support E extends downwardly and outwardly at an angle, although this I do not deem essential.

The spacer F not only operates to regulate the spaces between the pla-its, but it also operates as a presser to retain the cloth being worked against the plate E, so that it maybe satisfactorily operated upon by the needle. This latter function is performed through the agency of a spring g, which springis secured near one end upon a collar g, surrounding the arm f of the support E and constitutes, in effect, a part of the spacer. The collar g may be slid along upon the arm f, and may, together with the spacer, also be rotated upon the arm f. \Yhen rotated in one direction, the spring y will be caused to bear upon the spacer F and to exert pressure upon the latter to hold itfirmly upon the cloth. A set-screw operates to retain the collar g in any position into which it may be adjusted. The presser F at its rear end, or that end which is sup ported upon the arm f, is bifurcated, the bifurcated portions being provided with suitable apertures, through which the arm f extends. The arm f extends loosely through these apertures, so that the pressermay be moved along on the arm. The collar g is arranged between the bifurcated portions of the presser. \Vhen, therefore, the set-screw g is set, the presscr is prevented from being moved along on the arm f.

My improved attachment has numerous functions. It not only provides for regulating the spaces between the plaits and the width of the plaits, but numerous different kinds of plaits can be produced with it. The spaces between the plaits are regulated by moving the spacer F along upon the arm f, either nearer to or farther from the needle. The width of the plaits is regulated by moving the section (1 of the detent J) longitudinally on the fixed portion, whereby a greater or lesser length of movement of the slider-bar D will be required in order to cause the detent to engage it, and consequently whereby the folder I) will be moved for a greater or less distance beneath the plate E.

In Fig. (3 I have illustrated an ordinary form of plaiting of fold over folds.

In Fig. 7 I have illustrated a form of plaiting in which the two folds extend toward each other, and in Fig. 8 I have shown a form of plaiting in which the folds extend away from each other, but which are formed upon the face of the goods. This last form of plaiting is made by a spacerof modified form. (Shown more clearly in Fig. 5.) The spacer is of such form thatitextends to the outside of the plate E and below the same, as shown in Fig. 8.

By the use of my improvement the necessity for folding the cloth is avoided, while there is no necessity for keeping it stretched, as the spacer always bears against the seam of the plait previously sewed and the folder maintains a sufficient tension on the goods.

The attachment may be applied to any sewing-machine having a rigid head.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a head of a sewing-machine, of a frame mounted on said head, an adj ustable detent mounted on said frame, a fixed pivot upon which said detent may slide, a spring-actuated slider-rod skiling in said frame and having a portion extending downwardly to near the bed of the machine, a spring acting on said detent to cause it to engage said slider-rod when the latter is moved in one direction, a folder mounted on said slider-rod, and an adjustable plate mounted upon the bed of the machine and beneath which thefoldcr may be moved by the slider-rod,substantiall y as specified.

2. The combination, with a frame, of an adjustable detent mounted on said frame, a spring-actuated slider-rod sliding in said frame, a spring acting on the detent to cause it to engage the slider-rod when the latter is moved in one direction, a folder mounted on said slider-rod, an adjust-able plate beneath which the folder may be moved by the sliderrod, a combined spacer and presser, and a rigid support forsaid spacer and presser, upon which said spacerand presser are adj ustably secured, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with a slider-rod, of a detent, aspring acting 011 said detent to cause it to engage the slider-rod when the latter is moved in one direction, afolder on said sliderrod, an adjustable plate beneath which the folder may be moved by the slider-rod, a spacer, and a support for the spacer, said spacer comprising a bar and a collar g, provided with a spring g, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

GEORGE XV. \VEISS.

Witnesses:

FREDK. HAYNES, ARTHUR H. GAMBLIN. 

